Cleaning implement



Nov. 1, 1966 A. c. FEIL CLEANING IMPLEMENT Filed 001;. 20, 1965 WWWUnited States Patent 3,281,884 CLEANING IMPLEMENT Anne C. Feil, 392Deming Road, Rochester, N.Y. Filed (let. M), 1965, Ser. No. 498,530 3Claims. (Cl. 15244) This present invention relates to novel and improvedcleaning implements and more particularly to novel and improved brushand mop constructions which can be rapidly and inexpensivelymanufactured in highly efficient esthetically pleasing forms.

A multitude of brush constructions are known most of which employ aplurality of rod-like bristles. These bristles are normally formed ofhair, fiber and in some cases solid plastic monofilaments. Often thematerials used and the manufacturing methods employed in conventionalbrush constructions of this type are relatively expensive and requirerelatively complex manufacturing procedures.

An important object of this invention is to provide a highly efficientbrush suitable for a multitude of applications, and which can be rapidlyand economically manufactured from a minimum of basic components.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a brush inaccordance with the preceding object which is highly pleasing to the eyeover long periods of usage.

According to the invention a cleaning instrument has an elongatedsupport. An elongated flexible preferably cellular foam-like member ishelically wound about the handle from one end thereof to a positionshort of the other end. The member is preferably made from a sheethaving a series of slits extending from one side of the member in adirection transverse to its length to form a series of inte rallyconnected projections and means secure the member to the handle.

Preferably the member is formed from a sheet of flexible, resilient,cellular foamed plastic such as polyurethane which is slit at spacedintervals with the slits extending laterally of the member short ofopposing side edge portions thereof The sheet is folded over on itselfto form looped projections and the sheet is then wound with opposingside edge portions lying adjacent each other preferably with the sideedge portions helically wound tightly about the handle with adjacentturns of the member lying in overlapping relationship. It is a featureof this invention that the flexible, cellular foamed plastic membercorresponds to conventionally used bristles and has suflicient rigidityto allow brushing of a surface for cleaning purposes. In addition, theflexible cellular foamlike projections make the cleaning implementuseful as a lint remover if desired or for any of the conventional brushapplications such as Venetian blind cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, dustbrooms and mops. The preferred looped construction greatly enhances theesthetic appeal of the brush particularly when the sheet from which theprojections are formed are brightly colored.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention willbe readily understood from the following description thereof when readin connection with the accompanying drawing of a preferred embodiment inwhich:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view thereof;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a sheet used in the construction thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the bristle-like member previous to applicationto the handle; and,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the preferred winding of thebristle-like member.

With reference now to the drawing, a preferred embodiment of the brushis illustrated at in FIG. 1 having a centrally located handle 11. Thehandle 11 is prefer- "ice ably an integral wood dowel which has an upperportion extending to the upper end of the brush acting as a support foran elongated, flexible, cellular foamed plastic member 12.

In some cases, the handle and its support portion can be plastic, metalor other material. It is also possible to employ a resilient or flexiblehandle includingthe support portion such as a stiff rubber rod to permitconformance of the brushing end with the surface to be cleaned orbrushed.

The elongated, flexible member which forms the bristlelike portion ofthe brush 10 is preferably formed from an elongated strip of sheetmaterial such as a resilient, cellular polyurethane foamed plastic sheet13 illustrated at FIG. 2. The sheet 13 has a plurality of transverse orlateral slits 14- which extend laterally of the strip short of sidemarginal portions thereof to provide uninterrupted marginal edgeportions 15 adjacent each side edge of the strip. The slits 14 arepreferably parallel to each other and extend through the strippreferably equally distant apart.

The elongated member 12 is formed by superimposing a second sheet 13'preferably identical to the first sheet 13 over the sheet '13 andfolding both sheets with their marginal portions 15 into close adjacencyas best seen in FIG. 3. This provides looped upper portions 16 extendingalong the length of the elongated member. The looped portions 16 have aspring-like action and have the function normally found in the bristlesof a conventional brush. These loops will bend and spring back intoposition during use.

If desired, the marginal portions 15 may be secured together along thelength of the elongated member although this is not necessary.

The elongated member 12 is preferably helically tightly wound on thehandle 11 at the upper support portion thereof as best shown in FIG. 4.The elastic nature of the resilient foam aids in holding the memberfirmly in place about the handle. Preferably turns of the marginal edgeportions 15 overlap oneanother about the handle and only the upper andlower ends of the member are secured to the handle by pins (not shown)or other conventional means. In some cases, a glue or adhesive can bespread on the handle before application of the elongated member and themember will be adhered thereto as it is wound or shortly thereafter. Inthe preferred embodiment, the elongated member is wound to form theloops adjacent to each other from end to end of the support portion ofthe handle in lines extending preferably substantially parallel to theaxis of the handle. This provides a decorative highly pleasing estheticeffect to the completed brush. However, the loops can be randomlyarranged on the support portion if desired and often separate slightlyfrom each other after use to create a random effect.

In the preferred embodiment the sheets such as 13, 13 are composed of aclosed cell, foam polyurethane plastic haveing a thickness ofapproximately A2 inch. The handle is 9 inches long with the member 12covering 5 inches thereof. The elongated strip 13 has a width of 3inches and is folded over to have a width of 1 /2 inches with marginalportions 15 being approximately /2 inch wide. These dimensions provide asmall hand brush particularly desirable for lint removal due to theinherent nature of the rough cellular surface of the foam polyurethane.The cellular structure of the foam provides a relatively roughabrasive-type surface which yields under pressure in use.

While a specific embodiment of the cleaning implement of this inventionhas been described and illustrated, it will be obvious that manyvariations thereof are pos- 3 sible. For example, the particulardimensions recited can vary considerably depending on the intended useof the brush. In some cases only a single sheet 13 can be folded onitself to form the looped bristle-like portions of the elongated member.Similarly more than two sheets can be employed. The slits 14 can becircular rather than straight or have other configurations. Varyingwidth loop portions can be provided. The particular material of theelongated member can be varied. A circular support portion of a handlecan be provided and in some cases the support portion can be joined tothe hand gripping portion of the handle rather than being integraltherewith. Therefore this invention is to be limited only by the spiritand scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A brush comprising an elongated handle, anelongated flexible cellular foam-like member helically wound about saidhandle from one end to a position short of the other end, and meanssecuring said member to said handle, said member comprising a pluralityof superimposed strips of flexible cellular foam plastic, each of saidstrips defining spaced slits extending laterally thereof short ofopposing side edge portions thereof and being folded over longitudinallyto form plural layered projections in loop form with opposed side edgeportions of said strips being superimposed on each other and helicallytightly wound on said handle with adjacent turns thereof lying inoverlapping relationship whereby said plural layers of said projectionscan separate from each other in use, said slits being of sufiicientnumber to form projections substantially throughout the length of thestrips. 2. A brush in accordance with claim 1 wherein said plastic ispolyurethane.

3. A brush in accordance with claim 1 wherein said projections lie alonglines substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said handle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 180,913 8/1876Patterson 15-226 X 1,767,313 6/1930 Salvucci 15226 X 2,637,061 5/1953Ozdobinski 15-226 3,081,476 3/1963 Mosheim 15-226 X FOREIGN PATENTS820,204 7/ 1937 France.

259,782 6/ 1949 Switzerland.

295,349 3/ 1954 Switzerland.

DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner.

1. A BRUSH COMPRISING AN ELONGATED HANDLE, AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLECELLULAR FOAM-LIKE MEMBER HELICALLY WOUND ABOUT SAID HANDLE FROM ONE ENDTO A POSITION SHORT OF THE OTHER END, AND MEANS SECURING SAID MEMBER TOSAID HANLE, SAID MEMBER COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SUPERIMPOSED STRIPS OFFLEXIBLE CELLULAR FOAM PLASTIC, EACH OF SAID STRIPS DEFINING SPACEDSLITS EXTENDING LATERALLY THEREOF SHORT OF OPPOSING SIDE EDGE PORTIONSTHEREOF AND BEING FOLDED OVER LONGITUDINALLY TO FORM PLURALITY LAYEREDPROJECTIONS IN LOOP FORM WITH OPPOSED SIDE EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID STRIPSBEING SUPERIMPOSED ON EACH OTHER AND HELICALLY TIGHTLY WOUND ON SAIDHANDLE WITH ADJACENT TURNS THEREOF LYING IN OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIPWHEREBY SAID PLURAL LAYERS OF SAID PROJECTIONS CAN SEPARATE FROM EACHOTHER IN USE, SAID TILTS BEING OF SUFFICIENT NUMBER TO FORM PROJECTIONSSUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF THE STRIPS.